The Ensemble by Aja Gabel
A pleasant, enjoyable novel about a string quartet, centering on the musicians’ relationships over the course of their lives/careers, looking at love, art, family, sacrifice–nothing earth-shattering, but it held my attention. It also managed to pull off feeling like all four members were equally central characters–no small feat. If I have complaints, they are occasional over-writing and some degree of predictability. (And do I feel unsatisfied by the novel’s careful refusal to pick a hero? That’s clearly the point–but I’m not sure.)
Amy P. Knight 